By IANS
Hyderabad : Two Maoists were killed Friday in a gun battle with police in Andhra Pradesh's Warangal district.
The extremists, belonging to Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) Praja Pratighatna group, were killed near Mallampalli in Warangal, about 200 km from here.
Police said the two were 'dalam' or armed squad commanders of the Maoist outfit.
They were identified as Mahabubabad area 'dalam' commander Bhaskar alias Srinivas and Tirmulgery area 'dalam' commander Srinivasulu.
Pratighatna is one among half a dozen splinter outfits of CPI-ML and is mainly active in pockets of the backward Telangana region. The most powerful of the outfits is CPI-Maoist, earlier known as CPI-ML People's War.
The CPI-Maoist, which has been lying low for the last few months due to killing of its several top leaders, is reportedly re-grouping in Nallamalla forests, its stronghold in the state, and planning attacks on the Andhra-Orissa border areas.
Meanwhile, state Home Minister K. Jana Reddy told newsmen in Kurnool district Friday that police were on full alert to foil any attempt by Maoists to regroup in Nallamalla forest, which is spread over Kurnool and four other districts.
He said police were coordinating with its counterparts in neighbouring states to keep a vigil on the movements of Maoists.
Maoist violence has claimed more than 6,000 lives since 1969, when the movement was first launched in Srikakulam district of north Andhra.